Punjab government mulling death penalty for drug peddling, says CM Amarinder Singh

To tackle Punjab’s deep-rooted menace of drugs, the state government is mulling death penalty for drug peddlers, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said on Monday.

Singh said that the drug pedaller deserved exemplary punishment for destroying the young generations of the state and his government will soon send the recommendation to the central government. 

“We have decided to recommend the death penalty for drug peddling and smuggling. Recommendation being forwarded to Centre. Since drug peddling is destroying entire generations, it deserves exemplary punishment,” ANI quoted the Punjab CM as saying.

Singh, who had fought the Assembly elections on the issue of drugs added, "I stand by my commitment for drug-free Punjab."

Over the past decade, drug abuse has been one of the major political and social issues of Punjab. The last assembly election was fought on the issue of drugs. The Congress-led by Singh had promised during elections that they will take stringent action against drug peddlers if elected to power.

The move to award death penalty to drug peddlers came days after the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) carried out a protest march against the state government for their "failure" to nail drug peddlers.

They alleged that the Congress government in the state didn't have the will to curb the drug abuse. They claimed that the Punjab police was arresting drug couriers only and no big peddler could be nabbed so far.